Welcome!

Sat. October 24th Harvest Festival

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:59:20 -0400

Fall Harvest Festival at Beechwood Orchards: Apples, Pies, Ice Cream

Beautiful heirloom apples are only part of Beechwood Orchards’ Fall Harvest Festival, to be held Saturday, October 24 from 9AM until 5PM. Beechwood’s apple harvest will be in full swing, with between 20 and 30 standard and new varieties of apples available at the farm market. Melissa Garretson Allen, market manager, grows heirloom gourds and pumpkins as well, which will also be ready for the festival. Some of the other treats of the day include caramel apples, hot mulled cider made from their own fresh cider, several apple desserts, including homemade pies and dumplings from Judy’s Pies, and apple and pumpkin-flavored ice cream from Bruster’s Ice Cream. Celebrate the harvest-- sample the desserts and ice cream, and take home the fruit!

Beechwood Orchards is 2 miles north of Biglerville on Rt. 34 in Adams County.

Addition of Fruit and Veggie Page

Wed, 9 Sep 2009 21:02:32 -0400

We just added a new page to our website titled Fruit and Veggie’s. It contains information on different Apple and Plum varieties Beechwood Orchards has to offer, with Tomato varieties coming soon.

Festival August 15 9 am to 5 pm

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:02:55 -0400

Pie Tasting, Peach Ice Cream, Heirloom Tomatoes and lots of Peaches (and other fresh fruit)
Saturday, August 15
9 am to 5 pm

Come to Beechwood Orchards for FREE samples of peach pie. Fresh peach ice cream, fruit and vegetables will also be there for you to purchase!

April and May

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:26:45 -0400

The months of April and May were very busy for us. We planted apple, peach, plum, apricot, and quince trees. We also planted several different varieties of hardy kiwis which we are very excited about. The hardy kiwis are also called "kiwi berries" because they are little and not fuzzy like the kiwis found in grocery stores. The whole thing can be popped in your mouth and eaten. They have a sweet, rosemary-like flavor - Delicious!
We also planted many varieties of heirloom tomatoes and peppers. This year we will again be participating in Penn States melon trial. We planted lots of varieties of eastern melons for the trial plus many of our own selection of heirloom melons. We are counting of our customers to let us know which varieties they like the best.
This year has led to some changes in our farmers' market schedule. We have added two new Saturday markets Loudoun Valley Homegrown Markets Association (LVHMA) Ashburn, VA and Baltimore Museum Of Industry (BMI). We also picked up a once a month Sunday market LVHMA Brambleton, VA. See our farmers market schedule for more details.

Month of March Review

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:27:52 -0400

What’s going on at Beechwood in the month of March? The beginning of this month really is when our season kicks off. Melissa is starting tomatoes and peppers. We are also building a greenhouse in hopes of moving our seedlings as it get warmer out to harden off. We have started pruning our peach trees. In our off season we had a building built where we are going to install a newer (note - not new, but newer) cooler and have our farmers market staging area. Currently we are getting ready for our farmers markets under the barn where we also have our farm market set up and it gets to be a crazy mess. We are all looking forward to the coming season and seeing all of our customers again.

Farmers Market Schedule

Fri, 6 Feb 2009 14:14:15 -0500

Headhouse - Sunday 10:00 - 2:00

Passyunk - Tuesday 2:00 - 7:00

Penn Campus - Wednesday 10:00 - 5:00

Rittenhouse - Tuesday 10:00 - 1:00; Saturday 10:00 - 3:00

Swarthmore - Saturday 10:00 - 1:30

LVHMA Ashburn Farmers' Market, VA Saturday 8 - 12*

LVHMA Brambleton Farmers' Market, VA Ist Sunday of every month 9 - 1*

Baltimore Museum of Industry (BMI), MD Saturday 9 - 1*

Questions? Contact us at info@beechwoodorchards.com

* = NEW

Apple Varieties

Fri, 30 May 2008 22:32:30 -0400

APPLE VARIETIES
An (A) indicates that the apple is an antique or heirloom variety.
Multipurpose – indicates that the apple is good for fresh eating, salads, pies, sauce, and baked
Baldwin (A)- The Baldwin is an antique apple, discovered as a chance seedling in Massachusetts in 1740. Formerly known as the "pecker" apple because the trunk of the original tree had been assulted unmercifully by woodpeckers. The current name is attributed to Col. Loamme Baldwin, a high sheriff of the courts of Concord and Cambridge during the late 1700's. Medium to large size, conical to round fruit with yellow base skin flushed with orange and striped red. A juicy, firm, sweet to subacid flavor and aromatic. An excellent eating apple, also great for pie-making and other baking. A good cider base. Mid to late October
Braeburn- Braeburn was discovered as a chance seedling in New Zealand nearly fifty years ago. It's origin is thought to be a cross between Lady Hamilton and Granny Smith, giving the apple an attractive 'bi-colour' which is red with green under-striping. This large variety is one of the premier apples for fresh eating. Braeburn has an exceptionally crisp and juicy flesh, with a rich, full blend of sweet-tart flavour. It is a scrumptious addition to salads, or with mild cheeses, and the apple holds its shape even when cooked. Look for this variety late in the season, beginning in mid-October. Good multipurpose apple.

Cameo- A chance seedling found by Darrel Caudle near Dryden, Washington in 1987. The fruit quality is firm, crisp and characterized by a highly appealing subacid, aromatic flavor. Fruit shape is conic, very similar to Delicious but without the bumps on the bottom. The apple color is bright red stripe over creamy background. Mid-October
Cortland- Juicy, sweet with a hint of tartness with a great white flesh that is great for salads. Cortland apples are great for eating, salads, pies and baking. September through early October
Cox Orange Pippen (A)- Cox Orange Pippen was first developed in England around 1857. Small and round with a orange tinted background with a red stripe. Cox Orange Pippins flesh is a creamy color and is firm and juicy. Good for pie. November - December
Crimson Crisp- The fruit is medium in size with a very attractive crimson red color over 95% of the surface. CrimsonCrisp has a very firm, crisp texture with a tart, complex flavor. Mid to late September
Empire- Empire is a cross between a McIntosh and a Red Delicious. Empire was created in Geneva, New York in 1966. Empire’s flesh is juicy, white and has a crisp texture. Empire is an excellent dessert apple and makes good cider. September
Freedom- Freedom is a cross between a Macoun and an Antonovka. It was created in 1983 in New York. It is crisp and juicy. It's a medium sized fruit with red skin with a yellow tint. A good all around apple for juice, sauce and fresh eating. October

Fuji- Originated in Japan in the late 1930s, and named after Mt. Fuji. Fuji is a sweet, crunchy apple with juicy flesh and a pleasant aroma. Fuji has red and yellow stripes. Good multipurpose apple. October

Gala- A very pretty, medium size, conical to round fruit with yellow-gold skin patterned with bright orange-red. Firm, juicy, fine textured, yellow-white flesh. A sweet apple with a hint of tart. An excellent eating apple. Great for kids. Mid to late September
Ginger Gold- We are pleased and excited to offer this Adams County Nursery (ACN) exclusive variety. Discovered as a chance seedling on the orchards of Clyde and Ginger Harvey of Lovingston, VA, this Golden Delicious-type apple ripens six weeks ahead of Golden Delicious and can be harvested the first week of August in Adams County. Ginger Gold® exhibits all the qualities of a fall variety and ripens three weeks before McIntosh. The highest quality early season yellow dessert apple available. Sweet and slightly tart, firm and juicy, good multipurpose apple. Early August
Golden Delicious- Golden Delicious is an old apple that is very popular. It was created by a chance seedling of Grimes Golden. Golden Delicious was introduced in 1900. Also known as Yellow Delicious. Golden Delicious is a large golden yellow apple. It has a conic shape with crisp, juicy, firm flesh. Good multipurpose apple. Mid September
Granny Smith (A)- Medium to large bright green apple turns greenish yellow when ripe. Flesh is firm, greenish-white with a tough skin. Tart, acidic flavor. Great for baking. Good multipurpose apple. Middle - Late October
Honey Crisp- Honeycrisp is a newer variety, developed at the University of Minnesota. It is a cross between a Macoun and a Honeygold. Medium sized, rounded, red fruit, with orange/yellow stripes along the apple. Crisp, juicy, sweet. Honeycrip has excellent flavor and is most often used for fresh eating. Early-Mid September
Ida Red- Originated in Moscow, Idaho in 1935. Idared is a good eating apple that keeps very well. It is a pale greenish-yellow with bright red stripes and spots. Idareds flesh is firm and has a pink tinged color. Slightly tart and juicy. Good multipurpose apple. Late October- Early November
Jonagold- Created in 1968, as a blend of tart Jonathan and sweet Golden Delicious. The apple has an attractive red blush over yellow background with red color developing just before harvest. The strain is characterized by excellent dessert and processing qualities. Late September
Jonamac- Attractive, high quality McIntosh-type dessert apple that is medium in size, with 90% dark red color. Fruit is firm and crisp, ripening just ahead of McIntosh. Late August
Jonathan (A)- Jonathan was developed in New York in 1816. Medium sized red fruit with little white flecks. Jonathan has a flattened top and bottom. Excellent for eating and cooking, Jonathan makes very good pie. October
Liberty- Originated in Purdue University, Indiana in 1955. Liberty is a medium sized apple with yellow colored flesh with red skin. September
Lodi- Originated in New York in 1942. Lodi is a pale yellow fruit with a deeper yellow flush. A large apple that is crispy and juicy and has a sweet-tart flavor. July
Macoun- Macoun originated in Geneva station in 1909 but was introduced in 1950. Macoun is shaped like a Mcintosh but with a darker red color. Macoun is a firm, aromatic apple that bruises easily. A good eating apple with white flesh. Late October - early November.
McIntosh- Originated in Ontario, Canada 1798.Fruit beautiful deep red color, size variable. Flesh white, firm, tender, very juicy, flavor characteristically aromatic, perfumed, subacid. Good for fresh eating, pies, and sauce. Mid to Late September
Mutsu- A cross between a Golden Delicious and an Indo apple and was created in Japan in 1930. Crispin is firm and juicy with a sweet flavor. Crispin is initally a green color and turns yellow as it ripens. Crispin is a large apple and is excellent for baking and fresh eating, and stores very well. Early October
Myra Red Fugi- Myra Fuji is a medium to large sized apple which colors up substantially the entire body of the fruit and is overlaid with slightly darker pinkish red stripes.The flesh is a light creamy-yellow color which is dense and crisp with a flavor sweet, fruity, slightly aromatic and pleasant. October
Nittany- Originated in Penn State University. Medium to large fruit is a York Imperial type. Apple is green to yellow in color with reddish blush. Flesh oxides very slowly and gives a creamy yellow color to processed products. Outstanding for processing and baking. Early November
Northern Spy (A)- An old time favorite variety for northern climates, that has been grown throughout New York, New England, Michigan and Pennsylvania for over 100 years. Northern Spy produces large, high quality fruit with excellent keeping quality. Large yellowish apple with light red striping. Cream colored flesh with juicy, crisp, rich, aromatic flavor. Excellent for eating fresh and cooking.
Pink Lady- Attractive pink blush over a yellow background color, this Golden Delicious x Lady Williams cross is suggested for warmer Mid-Atlantic growing regions. The fruit is medium to large, crisp with a sweet-tart flavor, and long storage life. It develops full flavor after four weeks in storage. November
Pioneer Mac- Fruit quality and size is excellent. Flesh is white and firmer than other Mac strains. Late September
Rambo (A)- Originated in France. One of the oldest varieties of apples. Large, flat fruit, oblate, greenish-yellow with pinkish red stripes. Ripening in early July, it is excellent for sauce and as it ripens further, it is a good eating apple. Good for drying.
Red Delicious- Red Delicious is a very popular eating apple and is the most widely grown in America. The Red Delicious, like many other cultivars, was a chance seedling. The legend is that a hardy seedling was found in 1868 by one Jesse Hiatt, an apple grower outside East Peru, Iowa, USA. Hiatt tried to kill it, but it kept coming back, and finally Hiatt let it grow, eventually bringing its fruit to a fruit show. It won first prize. All Red Delicious apples are said to be direct descendants of this original tree. The Red Delicious was originally called "Hawkeye" by Hiatt, but after taking it to the fruit show in Lousiana it was called simply "Delicious". When the Golden Delicious was discovered in 1914, the name changed again to "Red Delicious". Fruit is firm with red skin with darker red streaks, and five "points" on the bottom. Mid September
Rome- A red sport of Rome Beauty. The most widely planted strain of Rome. Fruit is solid red and of the same quality as Rome Beauty. We feel this is the premium Red Rome for the fresh market industry. Slightly tart, firm, crisp, and juicy. October
Rubinstar Jonagold- A distinct sport of standard Jonagold. The fruit exhibits a more intense red coloration covering a greater portion of the fruit than the standard variety. Rubinstar's® fruit colors much more uniform throughout the tree. Late September
Ruby Jon- Ruby Jon colors to a 100% solid red blush 10 days before other Jonathan Strains. Ruby Jon offers the same creamy, white flesh and crisp, juicy eating quality of the old-fashioned Jonathan, with 100% Jonathan flavor and size. Late September
Sansa- A Gala x Akane cross developed in Japan, maturing one week before Gala. Excellent dessert apple with good keeping quality. Resembles Gala in fruit color and firmness. September
September Wonder Fuji- Discovered as a whole tree mutation of an early Fuji. Ripens approximately September 10th in Prescott, WA. The earliest true Fuji out on the market. Good size even though the apple has 6 weeks less growing season. Reddish blush skin color. Creamy white flesh with typical Fuji flavor.
Shizuka- A sister to Mutsu developed in Japan. Fruit has a milder flavor than Mutsu. Late September
Smokehouse (A)- Smokehouse originated in the 1830s by William Gibbons' Smokehouse in Lancaster Pennsylvannia (hence the name). Yellowish green apple with a redish stripe. Has a large flat shape. Smokehouse is a very good cooking apple that keeps well. Has a fresh cider flavor. October
Snowsweet- Another exciting release from the University of Minnesota, SnowSweet® harvests about two weeks after Honeycrisp™. It is bronze-red blush apple with a creamy white flesh. It has a crisp texture and excellent sweet/tart flavor. Early October
Stayman (A)- Stayman is an older apple known for its high quality. Stayman was created by Dr. J. Stayman when he planted Winesap seeds on his farm in Kansas in 1866. Stayman are a medium to large apple with a green-yellow skin that is mostly covered by dull red splashes. Stayman are excellent for eating baking and juice. They have a tart flavor, with a crisp and juicy texture. The flesh is a shade of yellow. Mid October
Sun Crisp- This Golden Delicious x Cox Orange Pippen selection from the New Jersey Apple Breeding Program is rated very highly by taste panels. The fruit color is golden with an orange blush. This dual-purpose apple matures approximately one week after Golden Delicious, has a sweet, mildly subacid taste, and typically stores up to six months. Late October
Transparent (A)- Originated in Russia in 1870. Large fruit is pale greenish-yellow. Flesh is cream colored, crisp, fine-grained juicy, and tart. Ripens early and has excellent flavor for sauce. Does not store well. Late July - Early August
Winesap (A)- Fruit is very firm and medium in size. They are slightly more tart then stayman and have a tougher skin. Good for drying. Good multipurpose apple. Late October
Wolf River (A)- Originated in Wolf River, WI, in 1875. A very large apple with dark red flush. Soft, juicy flesh. Good for baking, drying, and sauce. Mid September
Yorks- Originated in York, Pennsylvania around 1830. An excellent keeping apple. Mild, tart, juicy flavor with yellow flesh. Red skin with yellow spots and blushes. Good multipurpose apple. October
Zestar- This outstanding apple originated in University of Minnesota, in 1999. Zestar™ ripens in late August in South Central PA. The color is 60-85% red depending on sun exposure. Zestar™ is a medium sized, sweet-tart balanced apple with a hint of brown sugar flavor. Light, crispy and juicy. Great for eating out of hand. Late August - early September

Plum Varieties

Fri, 30 May 2008 12:30:53 -0400

Plum Varieties
Au Amber-Medium-sized, almost purple skinned fruit that has excellent flavor
Au Rosa-Dark red skin and yellow flesh, fruit quality is excellent
Autumn Sweet-Late maturing very sweet oval purple plum. Keeps well and is good for drying.
Black Amber-A particularly large plum, with very firm flesh. The skin is black, and the flesh as it’s name suggests, amber.
Bluebyrd-Deep purple skin, amber colored flesh, excellent flavor, good sugar-acid balance
Blue Fre-Large yellow fleshed freestone variety
Cardinal
Duarte-Extra large fruit, heart shaped, top quality with flesh that is blood red in color.
Early Golden-Yellow, good quality round fruit
Elephant Heart-A large, dark reddish purple conic fruit with purple-red sweet, juicy flesh of very good to excellent flavor. It is a freestone, and useful for fresh eating and canning/bottling.
Formosa-Large size, greenish yellow fruit overlaid with red. Sweet, juicy, pale yellow flesh
Fortune-Fruit is medium to large, reddish-purple and very firm with yellow flesh
Friar-A large oval plum, deep black with light amber flesh. Friar is a freestone and the pit is very small relative to the size of the fruit. Friar is sweet and juicy with an acidulous skin.
Long John-Unusual looking, large elongated prune plum is pointed on both ends and a beautiful blue-purple color. Delicious, sweet, aromatic, firm freestone fruit. The flesh is amber colored.
Methley-Medium to large, reddish purple fruit. Juicy flesh with a sweet, mild, distinctive flavor. Fine quality. Good for fresh eating or jelly. Ripens late July to August. Japanese type.
Queen Rosa-Very large, lightly freckled purple-crimson plum with greenish-yellow shoulders. The flesh is amber, very juicy, sweetest just under the skin.
Ruby Queen-Outstanding flavor. The fruit has reddish-black skin with a firm, red flesh
Santa Rosa-Medium large, crimson to purplish red, lightly freckled plum with yellow flesh slightly suffused with pink especially near the pit. The fruit is firm, sweet, juicy and aromatic, except near the pit, where it is quite acid.
Satsuma-Small to medium sized fruit with solid deep red skin and flesh and the small pit is semi freestone. Satsuma is juicy, and it has a particularly good flavor.
Shiro-Yellow skin and flesh; very juicy, flavor is mild, sweet. Ripens early August. Japanese type.
Simka-A large, conic, dark reddish purple plum with lightly freckled skin characteristic of plums derived from ‘Santa Rosa’. The flesh is firm, yellowish white, and pleasantly sweet, slightly bitter near the skin.
Stanley-Fruit is large size and dark blue. Flesh is greenish-yellow, juicy, firm, and sweet. Ripens mid season. Excellent prune for eating fresh, canning, and drying. An exceptionally hardy type of the Italian. European type.
Vanier-Fruit is red, medium size, yellow fleshed and clingstone

Wickson-A large, greenish-yellow plum with yellow flesh.